Sensibility key for two candidates in Whitewater City Council race

WHITEWATER  Michael Leblanc said he never considered himself the political type or focused his attention on the inner workings of local government.

It wasn't until he received encouragement from another Whitewater City Council member he decided to test the political waters, challenging District 1 incumbent Jim Olson in the spring election, he said.

"I think we both want to be sensible," said Leblanc, a 26-year-old Whitewater native. "He likes to run his district with common sense, which I'm big on. It's good to have someone in office, or on the council, who knows what common sense is."

Olson did not respond to the Gazette's request for information on his campaign.

Coucilmember-at-large Marilyn Kienbaum suggested Leblanc run for city council—an idea he pondered for weeks before finally deciding to file.

Leblanc said there's nothing in particular that significantly weighed on his decision, but issues at the Capitol contributed. Locally, he wants to lure more businesses to the city's east side.

He also wants to focus on cleaning the lakes and tightening city spending while the fiscal climate continues to create uncertainty with local budgets.

"I'm running for city council because I want to help out the community and mold it into something better," he said. "What's going on with the state budget cuts, it's sort of important for the city to look at viable means of cutting back."

Whitewater has four other council positions up during the April 5 election, but the incumbents are running unopposed.

They are James Winship, District 3; president Patrick Singer, District 5; and Kienbaum. Javonni Butler, District 2, is running as a registered write-in.